[chupacabra314]

  Personal experience with UM56:
 
I really only recommend for people that find great difficulty or imbalance with "star" tips.  What I DIDN"T like about my perfect fitting UM56 custom tips is the following.
 

1. They are uncomfortable.  I went with vinyl.  Never again.  Silicone would be the way to go.  After 20 min I feel the need to take them out for a break.
2. The sound is very inclusive.  Like wired to the brain.  I don't like this.
3. While the balance is perfection and all the detail is sharpened up, I prefer a more laid back larger soundstage type of listening experience.  YMMV.

 
I'm nuts about the "star" tips. Great invention, well-deserved patent for Westone.  I just wish they had one more size in between medium and large.  Merely sm, med, lg still allows too much variance.

I do love the star tips, at least the short ones. They are way ahead of any other tips I've tried. The problem is my left canal has a very odd shape and it's very hard to get a secure fit with any tips, even Comply and Shure olives. The long tips give me a better fit but sound gets messed up and they make the housings stick out of my ears a little.

 

[cfc7]

What will be a better choice between:

1. Westone W30 - 500$
2. Earsonics SM64 - 550$?

I want to upgrade from Sennheiser IE80 to an IEM with better clarity, more mids & highs but without loosing a good bass impact and musicality.

 

[bnguyen1983]

   
Found them at sonic electronix (a westone authorized dealer) and for the w30 they have a 'Make an Offer' option and I just decided to see how low I could go   I just tried again right now and they'll still accept an offer for $303.
 
 
Thanks for all of the other replies.  I didn't think there would be a sound difference and just a design change.   The box does show rev 3 so probably just a newer revision.  

 
Friggin awesome bro thanks!
 
I did $300 and it was too low but then I got it for $305!
 
Tax was like $27 though but oh well. Used my Amex for the extended warranty as well. 

 

[twister6]

As promised, W50 review is up: http://www.head-fi.org/products/westone-w50-five-driver-universal-fit-noise-isolating-earphones-78505/reviews/13490 , including comparison to W60, Pro 50, and SE846.
 
... and before I'm going to get crucified by @Spyro (Steve, please go ease on me

), I gotta tell you that W50 is VERY source dependent.  If you are planning to drive it with your Galaxy or iPhone or any other higher impedance source, forget about it.  It needs very low HO impedance source and either silver or silver-plated cable to balance out the sound and cut bass bloat.  But once you have the right setup - it's a true audiophile quality basshead delight!  Right now they are on sale for $599 on Earphonesolutions (for US buyers) and Headphonescanada (for CA).

 

[Ivabign]

What will be a better choice between:

1. Westone W30 - 500$
2. Earsonics SM64 - 550$?

I want to upgrade from Sennheiser IE80 to an IEM with better clarity, more mids & highs but without loosing a good bass impact and musicality.

Whoa!
 
That is too much for a W30 - $399 is MSRP... the 64's can be got for much less as well.....

 

[imackler]

 
Whoa!
 
That is too much for a W30 - $399 is MSRP... the 64's can be got for much less as well.....

Yeah, the W30 is $300 now at Live Soundwave https://www.livesoundwave.com/en-us/livesoundwave

 

[cfc7]

Unfortunately these are the prices from retailers where I leave (Europe). For SM64 there will be a drop to 450$.
But regardless the price...what would you choose?

Thanks

 

[Soundsgoodtome]

Anyone know of a comparison between the w30 and um pro variety? Not much in comparison, maybe someone can chime in.

Looking for sound differences between the two. I think I'm going to take advantage of sales this weekend.

Edit: found it! I'm leaning to the w series. Now do I dive to a w40 or w30's true nature is a better buy? So many mixed reviews.

 

[AndrewH13]

Anyone know of a comparison between the w30 and um pro variety? Not much in comparison, maybe someone can chime in.

Looking for sound differences between the two. I think I'm going to take advantage of sales this weekend.

Edit: found it! I'm leaning to the w series. Now do I dive to a w40 or w30's true nature is a better buy? So many mixed reviews.

I upgraded to ie800s and se846s 6 months ago but on holiday recently took my W40s. Was surprised just how good they still sound. On return played them through my Hugo and they scaled up nicely.

 

[Soundsgoodtome]

I've never read into the Senn but based on the Shure, is your preference a warm/dark phone?

I'm looking for a more even sound with possibly a slight bass boost/tilt. Maybe a good comparison would be a more engaging/lively ue900s

 

[AndrewH13]

I've never read into the Senn but based on the Shure, is your preference a warm/dark phone?

I'm looking for a more even sound with possibly a slight bass boost/tilt. Maybe a good comparison would be a more engaging/lively ue900s

Anything but warm or dark! Like tight fast bass, neutral mids and crisp treble. Hate bass colouration into MIDs. Shures have adjustable filters, many of us have taken foam out which extends treble. Westone are warmest but acceptably so.

 

[Spyro]

Just my opinion but the UE900 is the most disappointing boring earphone I have stuck in my ears the last 5 years.  W30 destroys it in every regard.

 

[Soundsgoodtome]

Anything but warm or dark! Like tight fast bass, neutral mids and crisp treble. Hate bass colouration into MIDs. Shures have adjustable filters, many of us have taken foam out which extends treble. Westone are warmest but acceptably so.

I've read that the Shure 846 were warm iems, is that not the case? And are the westone line-up warmer? I presume that the different models have different sound sigs, are they all warmer?

 

  Just my opinion but the UE900 is the most disappointing boring earphone I have stuck in my ears the last 5 years.  W30 destroys it in every regard.

The word "destroy" is unfortunately a dead give-away that you're over hyping this. No offense but this doesn't help me. The UE900S sounded good to my ears but we might have different taste in sound and music.

 

[twister6]

 

Anything but warm or dark! Like tight fast bass, neutral mids and crisp treble. Hate bass colouration into MIDs. Shures have adjustable filters, many of us have taken foam out which extends treble. Westone are warmest but acceptably so.

I've read that the Shure 846 were warm iems, is that not the case? And are the westone line-up warmer? I presume that the different models have different sound sigs, are they all warmer?

 

  Just my opinion but the UE900 is the most disappointing boring earphone I have stuck in my ears the last 5 years.  W30 destroys it in every regard.

The word "destroy" is unfortunately a dead give-away that you're over hyping this. No offense but this doesn't help me. The UE900S sounded good to my ears but we might have different taste in sound and music.

 
Yes, we all hear things differently and sometime get very passionate about it

  Just a human nature.
 
If you want to get an idea of W60 vs W50 vs UM Pro 50 and SE846, check out my recent reviews: http://www.head-fi.org/products/westone-w60-signature-series-6-driver-universal-fit-in-ear-headphones/reviews/13390 and http://www.head-fi.org/products/westone-w50-five-driver-universal-fit-noise-isolating-earphones-78505/reviews/13490
 
I used to like UE900 until switched to Westone.  To my ears, they make UE sound artificial.  Perhaps it's the warmth and the smooth texture of Westones that hits the right spot with me.
 
Regarding SE846, they are mid-forward with a lean/thinner lower mids.  Bass is great, but doesn't have as extended sub-bass.  Upper mids just sound off to my ears.  I know a lot of people love them and consider to be TOTL, so I'm just expressing this as my humble personal opinion.  For me SE846 was somewhat of a disappointment because I built them up in my mind to be $1k TOTL  And I'm not even going into how much Shure's Marketing and PR are full of themselves lol!!!

 

[AndrewH13]

I've read that the Shure 846 were warm iems, is that not the case? And are the westone line-up warmer? I presume that the different models have different sound sigs, are they all warmer?

With a good source, I wouldn't call 846 warm, although you can make it so with black filters. White filters does the opposite and most find them too bright. They go very low but don't have a horrible bass boost that I know some favour. Quality rather than quantity! MIDs are exciting, cymbals crisp, but the bass doesn't intrude with the MIDs so being clear, many find forward.

The Westone W40s were crisper than other £300-£400 IEMs I was able to try, couldn't listen to Grado 10's though. Compared to the 846s and ie800s, they do have more upper bass/lower MIDs that give a warmth, but tolerably so given they cost half price of the Shures. And the fact that majority of people like warmer or bass enhanced sound, which I think is a Westone trait. Providing you use lossless files and a good DAP/DAC, I personally see no need to add bass and warmth. Everyone has there own likes though, and nothing wrong in that.